Although the bulk of the Munster side has been unchanged for their last four games, of which they have won three, their marquee fixture against Leinster at a sold-out Thomond Park on St Stephen’s Day (kick-off 7.35pm, live on TG4 and Premier Sports) demands that they put their best foot, and best side, forward again.
John Hodnett is a doubt due to a low-grade thigh injury, and Edwin Edogbo (ankle) is sidelined for the coming weeks, while Stephen Archer (ankle), Jack O’Sullivan (knee) and Simon Zebo (knee) have all returned to training this week, but Munster are likely to field a side close to their last four line-ups.
“I suppose that’s the beauty at the moment, we are starting to build a bit of depth, guys who have stepped up, who have come through and it is something we speak about on a regular basis,” said attack coach Mike Prendergast in acknowledging that the Munster management have options, but they are more likely to be explored in the New Year’s Day trek to Ulster than next Monday.
“In terms of this week, we feel there is a bit of momentum going so when we finalise the team I’m not sure we are going to come too far away from what you have seen over the last few weeks.
“It’s an important period for us as well, because we have big games coming up; we have two URC after this one and then you are back into Europe. So, managing the squad, the players’ loading is hugely important, but we don’t want to take away from a bit of momentum that has come forward as well. I suppose that is a skill in itself as a staff, trying to get that balance right.”
After his nine seasons coaching in the Top14, it is for these types of games that Prendergast opted to relocate to his native Limerick.
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“Yes, they are, to be honest with you. Obviously, we have had a decent enough two weeks. Against Toulouse we came up short in the result, but performance wise I thought we showed a lot of good aspects of our game against a good European Cup side and last weekend was a good victory in different circumstances maybe,” he said in reference to the defiant 17-6 win away to Northampton.
“But we showed grit and a huge desire to keep them out and it was a kind of workmanlike, I suppose, victory. It was a different type of victory but a very good one last Sunday.
“Then you lead into Leinster this week, a huge game, and you test yourself against the best. They have showed that over the couple few years and even more so this season. They have probably added even a small bit more to their game in terms of their attack shape etc and in terms of their maul and it’s something we have to be well prepared for.”
“But in terms of the occasion and everything, having crowds back and 26,000 people filling Thomond Park, we are really looking forward to it and we have spoken about that all week.”
Prendergast is justified in his belief that Munster’s game has progressed since their 27-13 loss at the Aviva Stadium in October, and has shown relevant clips to his players in order to stress the point.
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“We were still getting used to how we trained, training quicker, training smaller teams with quicker game-based stuff and when you look at two months ago to now, our ability to move quicker on both sides of the ball is something that’s coming through.”
Munster have lost nine of their last ten meetings with Leinster, including three-in-a-row at Thomond Park, so to end that sequence would be further affirmation of the progress they are making and a significant boost for the organisation and fan base.
“It would be huge,” admitted Prendergast. “Since the Bulls game there has been aspects of our game that have moved on week by week and I think if we were to finish off the year by [beating] Europe’s top team it would be a massive, massive win for us, confidence-wise and just moving forward. It would be huge.”
